Harrison Barnes Featured on IHSAA Sportsmanship-Character Poster
Iowa’s latest edition to the National Basketball Association, Harrison Barnes of Ames, is the featured individual on the 2012-13 IHSAA Sportsmanship-Citizenship posters, which were mailed to the member schools in September.
This year’s poster is the 20th produced by the IHSAA since the start of the program in 1995, when another Ames High graduate Fred Hoiberg was featured. The Association annually chooses a former prep athlete, male or female, to be featured on the poster. Citizenship and Sportsmanship have been the cornerstone values of the IHSAA since its creation in 1905.
Barnes was chosen because of his overall achievements in high school sports, fine arts, classroom achievement and subsequently two stellar seasons at the University of North Carolina, which led to him being drafted in the first round by the Golden State Warriors.
At Ames High he was the leading scorer on back-to-back State Championship teams in 2009 and 2010, also being named to the All-Tournament team each year. A litany of post season honors followed. He was named Iowa’s Mr. Basketball, Gatorade Player of the Year in Iowa; a MacDonald’s All-American; first team Parade All-American; and USA Today national high school player of the year. He also won honors from The Sporting News.
A sterling all-around student profile was highlighted by he was a four year Honor Roll student with a cumulative GPA of over 3.4; was recognized as an Advanced Placement Scholar; played the saxophone in the school band and sang in the choir; was active in DECA; a member of SHEPH (Students Helping to Eliminate Poverty and Hunger; and a two-time State Track Meet place winner in the high jump and long jump.
At UNC, he was the first freshman ever to be selected as Association press Pre-Season All-American and a two year starter with 1,226 points in 414 rebounds and starting all 75 games.
Assistant Executive Director Alan Beste, who heads the development of the posters remarked, “Harrison embellishes the attributes we look for in a featured personality for the poster – great participation in high school athletics and school activities; high character, a sense of team and community, and a strong record of following through on the values of educational activities.”
Previous Iowa athletes who have been featured on IHSAA posters follow.
2011 – Casey Blake, Indianola
2010 – Dallas Clark, Twin River Valley, Bode
2009 – LoLo Jones, Des Moines Roosevelt
2008 – Zach Johnson, Cedar Rapids Regis
2007 – Adam Haluska, Carroll
2006 – Jeff Clement, Marshalltown
2005 – Chad Hennings, Benton Community
2004 – Coach Ed Thomas, Aplington-Parkersburg
2003 – Nick Collision, Iowa Falls; Kyle Korver, Pella; Kirk Henrich, Sioux City West
2003 – Bruce Nelson, Emmetsburg
2002 – Nick Ackerman, Colfax-Mingo
2001 – Eric Juergens, Maquoketa
2000 – Kurt Warner, Cedar Rapids Regis
1999 – General John Lorber, Orange City
1999 – Tim Dwight, Iowa City, City
1998 – Ryan Bowen, Fort Madison
1998 – Tavian Banks, Bettendorf; Tim Dwight, Iowa City, City; Matt Sherman, Saint Ansgar
1997 – Adam Timmerman, Cherokee
1996 – Casey Wiegmann, Aplington-Parkersburg
1995 – Fred Hoiberg, Ames
Poster can be found at: http://www.iahsaa.org/resource_center/Character_Sportsmanship_Safety/Harrison_Barnes_poster_091112.pdf